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When it comes to fall attire, Boston’s Harpoon Brewery knows how to layer: a seasonal hoppy amber ale, the Flannel Friday, is an easy sipper, which embraces notes like mild malt, pine and toast — and it dresses the part. courtesy of Harpoon Brewery

October means Oktoberfest, and American craft breweries rise to the occasion. Among them, California’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. continues a new tradition: every year, it partners with a different German brewery to produce an Oktoberfest-style beer. Now in its third year, the American brewery clinked mugs with Germany’s Brauhaus Miltenberger to produce its new Oktoberfest, a golden lager made with traditional German-grown hops — a new classic. courtesy of Sierra Nevada

The country’s smallest state isn’t short on craft beer, but the wait has certainly been long for the Fest Marzen Lager, a popular Oktoberfest style by Rhode Island’s Narragansett Beer — which is back after its three-year hiatus. courtesy of Narragansett Beer

This year, Salt Lake City’s Uinta Brewing Co. is canning its Fest Helles, a brew that has one foot in late summer and the other in early fall. As a fresh take on the German Helles-style lager, it’s a lighter approach to the season’s rich Oktoberfest brews — still bready, but blonde and bright. courtesy of Uinta Brewing

While most breweries offer one token Oktoberfest brew, The St. Louis Brewery doubles down. The brewery’s Schlafly Oktoberfest ticks all of the boxes, while its Schlafly Imperial Oktoberfest takes it up a notch, a more robust brew with a bold 8% ABV that’s bottled in a nostalgic 750 ml bottle enclosed with a swing top. courtesy of The St. Louis Brewery

In Charlotte, N.C., NoDa Brewing takes its spice seriously. Called Gordgeous, the brewery’s pumpkin ale doesn’t fool around with store-bought flavors: it's brewed with more than 50 pounds of pumpkin and 42 pounds of brown sugar. The team also cracks its own whole-seed spices the same day the seasonal is brewed, and even shaves fresh ginger root straight into the batch. courtesy of NoDa Brewing Company

For a brew that’s as tried and true as autumn itself, Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale is an annual crowd pleaser. The classic recipe is made with pumpkin and brown sugar, and even pours with a convincingly orange hue. This is pumpkin ale in a nutshell — or at least, in a bottle. courtesy of Dogfish Head

Keen to try pumpkin ale from the source? Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. operates Pacific Standard Tap Room in Berkeley, Calif. Sustainability is the brewery’s focus, whether it’s responsibly sourced seafood in the restaurant, or one of the hallmark beers, which was among the first brewed with recycled water. courtesy of Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.

On tap at Pacific Standard Tap Room in Berkeley, the Pumpkin Harvest Ale is crafted with local Sugar Pie pumpkins, which get a culinary treatment, roasted and spiced. courtesy of Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.

Leaf Pile, another painstakingly made pumpkin ale, is produced by Long Island’s Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. with whole bean vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and of course, a hefty helping of pumpkin. courtesy of Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.

Still wild for more pumpkin? Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing Co. bottles up Jamaican Me Pumpkin, which, at 10% ABV, is strong medicine for those who can’t get enough of pumpkin beer. The brew is aged in Jamaican rum barrels for a full year, which takes the flavors up a notch with notes of tropical fruit and spice. courtesy of 10 Barrel Brewing Co.

If you’re through with everything pumpkin spiced, Boulder, Colo.’s Avery Brewing crafts a seasonal brown ale, which is rich with organic chai spices sourced locally from Bhakti Chai, a craft tea company. Named the Chai High, it’s a cozy can for the chai latte loyalists among us, and a subtle sipper at 5.2% ABV. courtesy of Avery Brewing

Known best for its summer-loving Hell or High Watermelon wheat beer, San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery lands just in time for fall, too, with its Tasty IPA. The limited-edition beer is like drinking harvest season in a can, as this is when brewers are selecting hop varietals for upcoming seasons. Thus, Tasty IPA is a seasonally appropriate brew, a nod to hopped up brewmasters frolicking in the season’s fresh bounty — on Tasty IPA’s illustrated can, you’ll see one such brewmaster (Mike McDole, who’s nicknamed ‘Tasty’) bedded not in a pile of fall foliage, but seasonal hops. courtesy of 21st Amendment Brewery

In the fall, Colorado’s Great Divide Brewing Company releases Fresh Hop, an aromatic American Pale Ale, which is uniquely brewed with fresh Pacific Northwest hops. It takes as much as five times the amount of fresh hops as commercial hops, which means this seasonal release is as fresh as it gets, known for its grassy, citrusy punch. courtesy of Great Divide Brewing Co.

Not yet released, Alpine Beer Company’s Pure Hoppiness won’t stay on the shelves for long. The California brewery releases the Double IPA only in November, adding the season’s fresh hops into every step of the process. Meant to be cracked open ASAP to ensure the aromatic hops stay bright and bold, it’s only released in limited batches. courtesy of Alpine Beer Company

Go away, rosé. Cooler weather is prime for red wines, and now’s the time to sample Allagash Brewing Company’s Interlude. The Belgian-style ale, made in Maine, is brewed with two yeast strains while a portion of the ale spends time in red wine barrels — the body is fully beer, but thanks to the wine, the finish is full-bodied. courtesy of Allagash Brewing Company

Vermont’s Magic Hat Brewing Company has just unveiled the Heart of Darkness, a seriously dark stout, perhaps not for the lighthearted drinker. Even though it’s rich with roasted malts, it’s smooth with notes of chocolate (bittersweet, of course). courtesy of Magic Hat

Massachusetts’ Night Shift Brewing takes on New England’s chilled weather with its seasonal brew, Bennington, that’s both sweet and bold. The oatmeal stout is as dark as it gets, but it’s brewed with cocoa and maple syrup to bring warmer flavors into the fold. Tim Oxton, courtesy of Night Shift Brewing

For a nomadic brewery that follows the seasons — it’s Brooklyn-based, but hops around to fellow breweries to craft its recipes — Grimm Artisanal Ales’ Double Negative is, as its name suggests, an Imperial Stout that’s ready for darker days. courtesy of Grimm Artisanal Ales

Sure, a crisp pilsner doesn’t exactly scream fall. However, Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing is canning its Kicking and Screaming pilsner for the first time this fall, and it might surprise you. Completely fermented in a large foundre — instead of smaller, individual barrels — the pilsner eases into the season with toasty, slightly malty vibes. courtesy of Threes Brewing

Every fall, Michigan’s Bell’s Brewery releases its seasonal American Brown Ale, and it doesn’t joke around with titles. Named Best Brown Ale, the malty, hoppy iteration is crafted to “stand up to cool weather,” and it helps that it’s a toasty little number at that. courtesy of Bell's Brewery Inc.

Brewers tend to shoo lighter beers during the fall — which makes War Pigeon, a limited-run double IPA by California’s Drake’s Brewing Company, a strong contender. Available through October, the sharp and fruity beer is made with an intentionally high ABV to keep you toasty on chilly nights. courtesy of Drake's Brewing Company

At San Antonio, Texas' Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery, every sip comes with a slice of history. Equal parts restaurant and microbrewery (the latter being a second-story operation above the restaurant), both are located within a landmark building, which dates back to 1894 (when it housed the original tenant, Pearl’s Brewhouse, one of the largest breweries in Texas during its peak). Nick Simonite

While the original brewery closed just after the turn of the century, Southerleigh revived the space with locally inspired cuisine, nodding to the building’s history with its very own microbrewery. This season, the Amarillo by Fall is among its autumnal brews, a late harvest pale ale which is made to invoke bright and crisp flavors. Ashley Cass, Giant Noise

While coffee beers are often especially dark, and particularly winter stouts, South Carolina’s Revelry Brewing Co. crafts a subtler batch called Breakfast and Brunettes. Lighter than a typical Belgian Dubbel, the Charleston-based brewery’s iteration is cold stepped with coffee which results in a lighter roast. Jay Wayne Productions

Philadelphia's Urban Village Brewing Co. understands the importance of yeast: the brewpub not only crafts its own beer, but also cranks out naturally fermented yeast dough for its brick oven pizza. courtesy of Urban Village Brewing Co.

A handful of Urban Village Brewing Co.’s seasonal brews are now pouring in the brewpub, including the Tropic Thunder, a dark and rich porter, which will warm up any fall evening, because it brings the heat (a mix of coconut milk, toasted coconut and roasted habanero balances out the brew). Matt Seaver, courtesy of Urban Village Brewing Co.

At Grayton Beer Company in Santa Rosa, Fla., the season calls for an altogether stronger brew. The limited-batch Dubbel Barrel is a Belgian-style ale that's aged in bourbon casks. The result is an ale with the flavors of an Old Fashioned cocktail, making this fall beer one with particularly high spirits. courtesy of Grayton Beer Company

Bedford, Va.’s first brewery, Beale’s Beer, opened this year with craft beer as well as a barbecue restaurant. It’s the latest collaboration that’s game for fall. As travelers kickoff apple-picking season, Beale’s Beer is partnering with Virginia's Gross’ Orchard to craft a spiced apple ale come October — why pick when you can pour? courtesy of Beale's

When it comes to fall attire, Boston’s Harpoon Brewery knows how to layer: a seasonal hoppy amber ale, the Flannel Friday, is an easy sipper, which embraces notes like mild malt, pine and toast — and it dresses the part.(Photo: courtesy of Harpoon Brewery)

It’s no summer, but when it comes time for fall, the season is bright — for beer fans, that is.

These days, nothing spells October quite like Oktoberfest, as seasonal lagers rise stateside with fresh takes on age-old German techniques. Meanwhile, in the midst of harvest season and farm-fresh styles, an array of pumpkin ales delight aficionados and amateurs alike — all spiced accordingly, whether you like it or not. You’ll find darker, stronger brews (we see you, Heart of Darkness, and we feel you, Double Negative) stepping back into the spotlight, standing up to colder nights and taking the edge off autumn’s abounding chill.

In the photo gallery above, take a look at fall beers brewing across the country. The season is just starting to warm up — cheers to staying toasty.

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Oregon's 52nd annual Mount Angel Oktoberfest will take place September 14-17, with German foods, a biergarten and weingarten, and live performances. Both German imports and Oregon craft beers will be featured. courtesy of Mount Angel Oktoberfest

In Texas, the 30th annual Addison Oktoberfest takes place in Addison Circle Park, September 14-17, with German beers, more than 10 food vendors, a keg tapping, barrel rolling, contests, live music and more activities. Stevan Koye Photography

Cincinnati hosts America's largest Oktoberfest celebration with its 41st annual Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, September 15-17. The event brings more than 30 food and beverage vendors downtown with German pastries, pretzels and sausage, and a variety of beers. courtesy of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

In Oregon, Bend Oktoberfest returns September 15-16 on on Oregon Avenue, with beer from more than 25 Oregon breweries, food, wine, cider, Bavarian music and activities. Downtown Bend Business Association

In New York City, Watermark Bar hosts its annual OktoberFest for three weekends on the East River. Expect nearly 1,000 kegs of German beer, brats and pretzels and more Bavarian fare, games, live music and more, September 15-17, 22-24, and 29-October 1. courtesy of Watermark Bar

New York City's historic Tavern on the Green restaurant brings Oktoberfest to Central Park with avern on the Grün, September 15-October 15. The event will feature Oktoberfest and fall beers on tap, pretzels, sausages, a lederhosen photo opp and more fall touches in the outdoor garden. courtesy of Tavern on the Green

Outside of New York City's Penn Station, The Pennsy Beer Garden will host a keg tapping September 16 with German beers and music, and additional activities through October 3. Gareth Smit/Fernando Sandoval

To commemorate Oktoberfest, Chicago's Bohemian House will host its third annual Schnitzelfest, September 16-22. Local chefs prepare their take on schnitzel each night with live German music. courtesy of Bohemian House

In Hunter, N.Y., Hunter Mountain resort hosts Oktoberfest over four weekends, from September 23 through October 15. Festivities feature German food and beer, contests, wine and cider, with free admission. courtesy of Hunter Mountain

Samuel Adams hosts Octoberfest events each weekend from September 29 to October 27 in Cleveland, Denver, Chicago, New York City and Boston, with beer, food, live music and activities. Visit samueladams.com/octoberfest for details. courtesy of Samuel Adams

In Fort Worth, Texas, Rahr & Sons Brewing Company will host its eighth annual Oktoberfest 5K on September 30, with a biergarten, German polka, costume and stein hoisting contests, and more. courtesy of Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

In New York City's Lower East Side, Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten launches 45 Days of Oktoberfest, September 30-October 1, with a free keg tapping of Hofbrau Oktoberfest and events through October. courtesy of Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten

Dating back to 1980, Nashville Oktoberfest returns to the city's Germantown neighborhood, October 5-8, with Paulaner and Goodwood Brewing beers on draft, more than 35 food vendors, a bratwurst eating contest, parades and more activities. courtesy of Nashville Oktoberfest